Author's Note:
Rio: Hey all! Well I have to say that I think it is becoming unhealthy for my friend UmbrielBluethorn to read this fic.
Ryu: You mean the amount of stress she went through to find all of the possible ways that the title fit the chapter a while back?
Rio: *nods* That was a bit scary. Anyway, because she did find the other piece to the puzzle, you all get two lovely chapters today!
Ryu: ^.^ And we get closer to the lovely love scene between Alex and Mia! Which means I get to write again!
Rio: Um... what do you mean get closer? We actually get there! Er... sort of.
Ryu: ^.^ I know. The Alex/Mia was the main reason UmbrielBluethorn wanted us to continue anyway!
Rio *rolls eyes* I know. Also in case anyone wants to know why the ninth chapter is called the End of Childhood... well think about it. In Lemuria every card is put on the table so to speak. The reader/player-of-GS finally learns about what is really going on...thus the End of Childhood! Hehe... yea, English class is having a bad influence on me...
Ryu: DELUGE! ^.^
Rio: Yes, (everyone should remember this from three chapters ago) my favorite vocab word... ^.^ So I am going to dedicate this chapter to my english teacher, Mrs. Juda, since the two former chapter titles were explained to be first by her.
Ryu: NO! You shall not speak of her! Don't you know? If you speak of the Devil he will come!
Rio: It's a little late for that Ryu, I'm already stuck in her class for the rest of the year.
Ryu: My poor poor Rio... *goes off to cry in corner*
Rio: O-kay... Glad to know I have your support... -_-;;
Ryu: You always have my support! ^.^
Rio: Just get to the story everyone... and enjoy.
Fantasies of the Open Mind
Chapter Eleven: Collaboration
Felix was in pain. His head pounded as if he was trapped in one of his own Earthquake attacks. And he swore if he saw another Mars Djinni looking at him with questioning eyes he would scream. The crowd of red Djinn had left around dawn, their many questions answered, and he was just about to turn in for the night/morning, when Jenna returned. Of course this had entailed her entering through the window and what was under the window? His bed. And who was in his bed? Why Felix was of course. So after he was shaken out of whatever stupor he might have been in, he had been engaged in a long overdue conversation about Dark Mages. Apparently Jenna had heard the legend of the There and the Descendant and was now curious about the rest of her people's culture. Under any other circumstances Felix would have been happy to talk for hours, but that was under other circumstances. However, Felix's brotherly instincts had kicked in and overruled his self preservation instincts. Needless to say he would not get any sleep until Jenna left and Jenna left when it was time for breakfast. So Felix did what every self preserving Venus Adept would do, he asked his Djinn for advice. They all unanimously agreed that what Flower would have done was what Felix should do. Felix didn't know who "Flower" was but he was to tired to care. So where did all this leave Felix? Asleep in Picard's bed with a watchful Lemurian making sure that he was not woken up until it was needed. Felix ended up waking naturally in the afternoon and found that they had arrived at a port for a village that was farther north. This in itself puzzled Felix because no town they had been in with their ship had a port, but he wouldn't complain. Felix and Picard joined Jenna and Sheba on the sandy beach of the port and watched with fascination all the people scurrying about. They were carrying a strange contraption that no one could make heads or tail off. But as everyone looked to be concentrating very hard on the task at hand, whatever it was, they decided not to intrude. They had made their way to the northern town called Contigo, and there had learned about the contraptions. They were wings that could be fitted to a ship which would aid in flight. Kraden was interested and had stayed with the priests to talk about the wings but everyone else had pressed on to the Lighthouse.
And that is where they were at the moment. Sheba was having a ball using cyclone at every other corner, and Jenna had found the delights of using the Hover Jade that she had successfully exchanged for the Shaman's Rod at Shaman Village, but on the whole everyone was pretty much lost. Well, that was not accurate. They knew exactly where they were, but it was not where they wanted to be. And their exact location was at the top of the left spire of the Jupiter Lighthouse. They had already figured out the puzzle of the left side, raising the stone that covered the pit for the Jupiter Stone on one side, but they had no clue, as of yet, on how to get to the right side.
"I say we just climb up the outside." Sheba said.
"Climb up this brick, you can't be serious!" Picard looked at the brick walls of the lighthouse. "Where would you get a foothold or a handhold?"
Jenna frowned looking out at the lighthouse. "It might help to go back to the bottom of the Lighthouse and start from there." she murmured.
Felix nodded and in a burst of colored light they were back at the entrance to the Lighthouse.
"I will never get used to that." Picard muttered, thinking of the Retreat psyenergy. The group had reached the main room of the Lighthouse again, a room larger than the rest with a beam of white light leading up into the lighthouse.
"Anyone thought of going to the right of the lighthouse and seeing if there was a way up?" Saturos asked Nuitari sarcastically.
The darker spirit smirked. "If they could go through walls like we can they wouldn't be having this problem."
"Well they why don't you two tell us where to go?" Jenna was getting annoyed, as it was getting late and she had no desire to stay in the lighthouse overnight.
"Try that way." Solinari pointed to a door on the right side of the room.
The door did lead to the way up the right spire of the Lighthouse. Of course it was littered with traps that had to be avoided, including a very nasty hover puzzle that even got Sheba annoyed. But even though it took them the good portion of an hour, they made it to the top without many mishaps. Felix completed the puzzle and everyone watched with great satisfaction as the other side of the stone covering was lifted off the basin for the Jupiter Star.
"I'm getting a feeling that we've done this before." Sheba giggled as everyone looked down at the lighthouse from the other side.
"Now all we do is get to the top again." Picard said.
Felix started muttering about the stupid bridge with the stupid statue blocking the way, but no one paid it any mind. Felix had issues with one of the puzzles that had stumped him until Sheba pointed out that if they just pushed the pillar onto the bridge and then stepped on the switch, the bridge would collapse and the pillar would fall down. Thus when the bridge rose back up they could cross it. Needless to say Felix was not looking forward to crossing the collapsible bridge again.
Felix warped everyone back to the beginning of the lighthouse again and they started back up towards the top. Lunitari appeared and started talking to Nuitari and Solinari about some strange people and Jenna was just about to ask what was going on when they heard a scream.
It seemed to come from above them and everyone looked up to see some very familiar faces. It was Isaac, Garet, Ivan, and Mia who Jenna's ghosts had been talking about. Two of which seemed to have found out that the bridge was collapsible the hard way. Garet was holding on for dear life to and outcropping of the lighthouse wall, the same outcropping that Mia was on trying to reach him.
"Hold on Garet!" Ivan yelled words of encouragement from his position on the edge of where the bridge started.
"That's what I'm doing Ivan!" Garet yelled back, his voice a little strained.
"Just whatever you do Garet, DON'T look down!" Isaac yelled, worry apparent in his voice.
"Oh, thanks a lot for that Isaac!" Garet yelled sarcastically.
"No, I'm serious! If you look down you'll see the large pointed statue that you will impale yourself on if you let go!"
Ivan turned to face Isaac. "Shut up! This is no time for that type of sarcastic talk! Can't you see that if he lets go he is going to die?"
"Yes." Isaac said sincerely. "That's what I just told him!"
"One of his arms is not working properly." Picard murmured, seeing the odd angle at which Garet's left arm fell.
Felix's eyes darkened, seeing the telltale flash of red hair and bluish armor that meant only one thing, or rather two: Agatio and Karst. A low growl ripped its way to his throat and he stalked off towards the door that would lead to the ledge that Isaac and Ivan (now with Agatio and Karst) were standing. Jenna hurried after him, followed by Picard and Sheba, who had stayed to hear what they were saying. Once her suspicions were confirmed that Agatio and Karst were indeed trying to kill Isaac and Ivan she hurried to catch up to the others. She found them in the entrance to the door, talking to Alex.
"You knew they would do something like this." Felix's voice was low and dangerous. What would have been a question was turned into a statement of fact.
"I did not know what method they would use." Alex's voice was quiet and lacked its commanding force which he usually spoke with.
"And what a method! Could they have gotten any more treacherous?" Picard hissed.
Sheba looked in surprise at the two normally calm adepts. She was used to Jenna being angry but not those two. Yes she was angry too, but she began to think that she was the only one who's personality did not change completely when mad.
Alex could not meet Picard or Felix's eyes. "They could have thought of something. I wouldn't put anything past those two now."
Sheba was curious. Alex was unguarded, something he had never been. If she tried she could easily read his mind with no questions asked, but she would not. He was very angry and... protective? Huh? Alex cared about someone other than himself? Sheba was impressed. It seemed there was more to Alex than she thought.
"That is why you have to stop them from killing Isaac." Alex's talking brought Sheba back from her thoughts.
"And then have Isaac fight us?" Jenna frowned. "We would have to do some very fast talking."
"It's worth it." Felix said curtly, turning to go. With a nod to Alex Picard followed Felix, who was followed by Sheba, who was followed by Jenna. Saturos had watched the whole affair and put the pieces together in his mind, stopped Jenna at the doorway. The Dark Mage's eyebrows lifted in surprise as Saturos asked her to relay a message to Alex for him and told her the message. She turned back towards Alex with a small smile. "Don't worry Alex, Mia will be fine."
She almost giggled at Alex's look of confusion. Then realization dawned on his face.
"VERY funny Saturos!" He growled/yelled into the room, knowing that Saturos was somewhere within hearing distance.
"You don't need to shout." Jenna smirked. "He is right here." Then she walked off to join the others. Saturos lifted a hand his left hand in farewell and followed Jenna, knowing full well that Alex would not be able to see him.
Jenna surveyed the scene in front of her. Felix, Picard, Karst, and Agatio were arguing about what should be happening. Karst and Agatio had defeated Isaac and Ivan and were intent on killing them, while Felix and Picard wanted Karst and Agatio to leave Isaac and Ivan alone and let them get on with lighting the Lighthouse. Sheba looked at Jenna, unsure of what they should do, but Jenna herself was unsure so they both watched.
"Fine!" Karst huffed. "We will spare them if you make sure to light the lighthouse. And you must also take the Mars Star!"
"What?" Felix gasped. Sure he knew he would need to confront Isaac about the Mars Star at some point, but he had never considered taking it when Isaac had no say in the matter. Felix did not want to destroy whatever remained of the friendship he once had with Isaac.
"Go ahead Felix... take it" Isaac managed to say a small amount of blood tricking out of his mouth when he opened it.
Karst grinned at Felix as if to say, "There you go." but didn't say anything. Felix sighed, going over to Isaac and taking the Mars Star.
"We'll see you at the top of the Lighthouse Felix." Karst said almost sweetly.
Picard glared at her retreating form. Something wasn't right with those two Mars Adepts. They were planning something, something which he knew he wouldn't like. He saw Felix hesitantly move to follow the two as Jenna and Sheba busied themselves with helping Isaac and Ivan, and rescuing Mia and Garet. He frowned. He should stick around to heal the downed Adepts, but when did feelings follow reason? The girl Mia looked like one of Mercury's healers anyway. So Picard followed Felix.
Felix didn't say anything but he did not need to. Picard would catch the grateful look that was sent his way and that was all the communication that was needed. But Felix was happy to have the Lemurian by his side. There was something not right going on. Even after she had said she would not kill Isaac, Karst had a murderous gleam in her eyes which Felix admitted was aimed at him. But as far as Felix could see, Karst couldn't do anything to him yet... yet. Once the Lighthouses were lit he would have to watch out for her. As would Isaac.
Felix would soon revise his opinion of the devious Proxian as he arrived at the top of the Lighthouse. Karst snarled at him as he and Picard ascended the stairs to the top of the Lighthouse. "You're late."
Picard muttered something along the lines of "How can we be late when there was no time limit to begin with ?" but only Felix heard him. Felix himself said nothing but walked towards the pitted area which would be soon lit by the fire of Jupiter himself. Solemnly, Felix threw the star into the Lighthouse and the entire building was engulfed in light.
Through the purple haze Picard could make out large purple flames that swirled around themselves and formed a ball of light, with small lightning bolts dancing across the surface. "Magnificent." he breathed. Sure, he expected that the lighting of the Lighthouses would be spectacular but this was something beyond anyone's imagination. The Lemurian looked over at Felix who looked thoughtful rather than amazed, but shrugged it off. After all this was Felix.
Felix himself was struck with anxiety. He remembered all to well what had preceded or followed the lighting of the the other two Lighthouses. Fighting. Disagreements. The rift between friends growing wider and wider. He knew, just knew, that this would be no different.
As the haze faded leaving only the ball of light, the flame of the Lighthouse, burning in its spherical perfection, Felix turned to go. He couldn't shake the feeling that he knew something would take a drastic turn. And as Agatio and Karst blocked the way down, he got his answer.
"Well it seams that you were useful after all Felix." Karst smirked as she looked at Felix. But Felix refused to reply so she went on. "But we have no use for traitors."
"Traitors?" Felix echoed. This must have been what he had felt before. He could see where this was going and he didn't like it.
"When have we been traitors? Is the Lighthouse not lit as we promised?" Picard asked reasonably, also seeing where Karst intended to lead the conversation.
"You let Isaac live when he killed Menardi." Karst said simply.
Felix would not deny that. "And I would do it again. Friendship is very important in Vale."
"And yet you deceive them." Karst ridiculed.
Felix nodded. "My plans not to involve them did not go according to plan and I ended up hurting all of those I knew and counted as friends. If there is a way to rectify my error, I will not hesitate to take it."
"Well you won't get that chance Felix. We have no use for you anymore."
"Because the last Lighthouse is in Prox... is it not?" At their stares Felix elaborated. "It must be, after all it is the only place left to go. And logically, if Proxians know so much of the Lighthouses they must have first hand experience with one." Felix's face was set impassively. It would not help in the long run, but it would shake the two Proxians up a bit.
"I have to give you credit, Felix you surprise me." Karst spoke as if she was speaking to a little child but stopped seeing Picard's glare aimed at her. "But if you figured out all of that then you must know what will happen now."
"Yes. You will try to kill me." came the quiet, yet firm reply.
"Not just try boy, we will kill you." Agatio affirmed, reminding Felix of Saturos for a moment. The other Proxian had also called Felix "boy" when he had been younger. But this thought only passed through Felix's head as Karst hefted her scythe and charged, coming to clash with Picard's sword in a deadly standoff.
Behind her Agatio lifted a hand and Felix could feel the psyenergy draining out of the Proxian. Felix could feel the earth around the Lighthouse cry out in fear as he caught sight of a rock encircled by fire. A meteor. He had seen Garet use a similar technique against Saturos and Menardi at the Venus Lighthouse with the help of his Djinn. Sure the one Garet had summoned was much bigger than the one that was now currently headed in his direction but he had no real clue how to defend against it. If Saturos couldn't defend against that type of attack, how could he? Still he braced himself for the blow, feeling sweat start to drip down his forehead. Just as he was sure that he would scorched to a cinder he felt a draft of cool... water? He raised an eyebrow at the little Djinni standing in front of him. If he were not in the middle of a fight in which his life was being threatened, he would have found it funny. Not even a foot tall Djinni had stood down a meteor when he had been paralyzed. Sure this was a natural cripple he had because he was a Earth Adept and he reacted to fire much the way living things would, but it was still ironic.
"Thank you Shade." Felix murmured to the Djinni, who now glowed with a light, its powers ready to be unleashed.
Picard was growing impatient as he found that Karst was stronger than he thought she would be and jumped back, calling on his Djinn and summoning Boreas as he did so.
One could hear grinding as if large machinery was moving far away as Karst moved to follow him but was frozen to the ground as ice surrounded her and Agatio. Picard glanced over at Felix, who looked a little singed but had no time to react as the two Proxians melted free of the ice, water trailing down their forms, thoroughly soaked.
"Stupid Djinn!" Karst cried as she also called on the powers of psyenergy. Felix and Picard herd strand music and watched as the Djinn all returned to their set states.
"But that attack can't effect all of the Djinn." Picard thought as Agatio sent a wheel of fire at them. Both adepts threw themselves out of the way of the flames but Picard didn't move quite fast enough and winced as a burn mark danced up and down his leg.
"What's going on?" All of the fighters looked to see Jenna racing up the stairs towards them. She took a quick look at the scorch marks and watered areas of the top platform of the lighthouse and grasped what was going on. With a nod to Felix, she reached for her sword.
Karst saw this as a week-spot and charged, scythe raised, to attack Jenna. Jenna had no time to react but Karst was stopped by a black barrier that formed around the Dark Mage.
At her expression Picard chuckled and shared a knowing glance with Felix. If Jenna had come up here, so had her ghost familiars.
And thus the fighting resumed, with Jenna added to the fight. Her ghosts watched, knowing that now that she had weaponry out she could most likely take care of herself. But one of them was not pleased with the situation at all. Saturos was lived.
"You are a disgrace to all Proxians!" He shouted, knowing full well that Karst couldn't hear him but not caring. "If I had a body I would ring your neck!"
"Calm down. Sheesh, what's wrong with you?" Solinari asked lounging against the brick wall.
"First rule of being a Proxian fighter, the most important one: Even if we use underhanded tactics to get what we want we never attack an unarmed enemy like that."
"So?" Nuitari asked, unimpressed. "Cultures only make rules so they can be broken..."
Saturos smiled dangerously, murder in his eyes. "Breaking that law is punishable by death... death by drowning."
The other three ghosts winced. "Don't take rules to lightly do they?" Lunitari murmured. "Playing off weaknesses like that."
Saturos grinned. "It serves its purpose. In all of Proxian history there are only four people who openly broke the rules... now five."
The ghosts looked at Saturos in shock before returning to look at the battle, Saturos still glaring at Karst.
Agatio and Picard both tried sending attacks at each other at the same time and the blasts struck together. There was a crash as the attacks swirled together and rebounded back at their castors, showing that the attacks were at equal strength. Both were caught unprepared. Agatio was thrown back against the rock of the floor while Picard was thrown back... into the Jupiter Star
Electricity shot around his body and the Lemurian screamed. But he was not the only one. Felix could feel the life slipping away from Picard as the Lemurian's body fell to the stone floor and he too cried out.
But Jenna cried out as well. "Help him!" It was not a cry to a living creature, but three non-living souls. As she had with the Condemn Psyenergy, she allowed her power to flow though her ghosts and sent it barreling towards Picard. The black light trademark to a Dark Mage's Revive spell enveloped the Lemurian and he stirred, wincing as pain rippled through his body.
"Hey guys! What's going on up here?" Jenna turned to see Sheba's worried face.
"Quickly Sheba, summon Eclipse!" Jenna yelled. Neither Jenna nor Felix noticed the sky darkening or the purple energy that enveloped the two Proxians, they were focused on Picard. Felix left the fight to go to Picard, who was still trying to get to his knees. Pain shot up and down his body as muscles tried to work again. As Sheba collected her Djinni she saw the state that the Lemurian was in. No one noticed Karst and Agatio falling, defeated, to the floor of the Lighthouse.
"Picard is just adjusting to the feeling of having his soul ripped out of his body and then stuffed back in. No big deal."
Jenna moved away to hiss at her ghost protector, "No big deal!"
Nuitari nodded. "There are worse feelings of pain. His will only last an hour or so. Then he'll be good as new."
"I think what Nuitari is trying unsuccessfully to say is that Picard will be fine, but his body needs to adjust from being dead for a few seconds." Lunitari put in. "It isn't your fault that he is hurting right now."
"And I didn't say that?" Nuitari scowled at the reddish spirit.
"No."
"Jenna! Felix!"
Jenna turned to see Garet, Isaac, Mia, and Ivan running towards them.
"Is everyone all right?" Mia asked, looking over the four battered adepts.
"We will be fine in an hour or so." Jenna looked pointedly at Felix and caught the slight nod that showed he understood what she was trying to say.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Mia asked, looking worriedly at Picard.
"Not unless you know how to numb shock pain?" Felix asked, sitting next to Picard and letting the Lemurian fall on top of him.
Mia sadly shook her head, her blue eyes clouded as she looked at Picard. "That is not one of the skills known to the Mercury Clan." Everyone knew what she was implying. She did not think that skill existed to her people but there had been exceptions proven already.
Footsteps sounded near them as everyone turned to see Alex walking towards Felix and Picard. It was then that Sheba noticed that Karst and Agatio were no where to be found, but she did not mention it. Alex knelt down near the Lemurian.
"Hold him steady for a minute." he murmured softly to Felix before placing a finger on each of Picard's temples. An erie blue light surrounded Picard's frame and then vanished. The Lemurian blinked, seeing first Felix (on who's lap he was practically lounging on) and then Alex.
"Many thanks."
"Don't mention it... ever." Alex said softly getting up. The Water adept moved to leave, and avoid any unnecessary confrontation but was stopped in his tracks before he could take a step.
"What type of healing power is that Alex?"
Author's Note:
Rio: As always, thank you to all of my reviewers... you make the world go 'round.
Ryu: And the world revolves around me!
Rio: -_-;;; Uh-huh...
Ryu: What? You can't SEE the world revolving around me? *turns to readers* You all can see the world revolving around me right? *many nods* There! You see, Rio? The world revolves around me! ^.^
Rio: Whatever you say sweetie... *mutters something about a strait jacket and a haircut*
Ryu: You will never cut my hair Rio! Never! Do not touch my hair!
Rio: 0.o *thinking, "He heard the part about the hair but not the strait jacket?"*
signed,
Rio the FlowerofBlackFire